Page:Memoirs of a Trait in the Character of George III.djvu/170

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NO. 1.

APPENDIX.

113

upon his idea that he should be entitled to the large rewards prescribed in the Act of the 12th of Queen Anne, in case his Watch kept time within the limits there mentioned, whether the method itself was or could be rendered generally useful and practicable, or not;'^[1] this insinuation (published

↑ It was well observed by Lord Chesterfield, that "an injury is not to be measured by the notions of him that gives, but of him that receives it."^{[subnote 1]} And never was this axiom better illustrated than by the prudence, as he calls it, with which Dr. Maskelyne attempts to saddle his antagonist, as if designing that for a compliment, which in the construction of things where it was addressed, was synonymous with low cunning and dissimulation of purpose. If the Doctor was sincere in his view of the case, he has given us a feature in his own portrait enough to have put on their guard either public or private men having transactions with him; for it is perfectly consonant to what is looked for in the disreputable character called a man of the world, with which every large town is plentifully sprinkled. The spirit of such men is directly opposed to that of Christianity; insomuch that they have given occasion for more volumes of sermons than any other description of offenders deficient in good works.—The man of the world will take any fair advantage of you; by which he means such as will not absolutely compromise his (qualified) reputation for probity, however mean or unprincipled the motive may be, if that is locked up in his own breast. The Astronomer Royal argues as if he really had no apprehension of the disingenuous, crafty, and indefensible conduct he was imputing to his antagonist.

↑ The Author had somewhere read that the sentiment was borrowed from an antient, but on enquiring of three gentlemen of learning, the first thought it was in the Iliad, but had forgotten the passage; the second believed it would be found in Cicero; and the third in Seneca. As it Is an idea which persons of every age and country may concur in, there is no occasion to make his Lordship a plagiarist in adducing it.

[p_113-2] It was well observed by Lord Chesterfield, that "an injury is not to be measured by the notions of him that gives, but of him that receives it."^{[subnote 1]} And never was this axiom better illustrated than by the prudence, as he calls it, with which Dr. Maskelyne attempts to saddle his antagonist, as if designing that for a compliment, which in the construction of things where it was addressed, was synonymous with low cunning and dissimulation of purpose. If the Doctor was sincere in his view of the case, he has given us a feature in his own portrait enough to have put on their guard either public or private men having transactions with him; for it is perfectly consonant to what is looked for in the disreputable character called a man of the world, with which every large town is plentifully sprinkled. The spirit of such men is directly opposed to that of Christianity; insomuch that they have given occasion for more volumes of sermons than any other description of offenders deficient in good works.—The man of the world will take any fair advantage of you; by which he means such as will not absolutely compromise his (qualified) reputation for probity, however mean or unprincipled the motive may be, if that is locked up in his own breast. The Astronomer Royal argues as if he really had no apprehension of the disingenuous, crafty, and indefensible conduct he was imputing to his antagonist.

[1] The Author had somewhere read that the sentiment was borrowed from an antient, but on enquiring of three gentlemen of learning, the first thought it was in the Iliad, but had forgotten the passage; the second believed it would be found in Cicero; and the third in Seneca. As it Is an idea which persons of every age and country may concur in, there is no occasion to make his Lordship a plagiarist in adducing it.

[1]

[subnote 1]